Top 10 male health worries (part2)

Testicular cancer

Most testicular lumps are not cancerous, but it's important to spot any changes:

• a lump in either testicle
• enlargement of the testicle
• a heaviness or sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum
• growth or tenderness of the upper chest.

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 44.

What can you do?

Make sure you become familiar with what is normal for you.
'Regular self-examination will help you become aware of the normal feel and size of your testicles and any changes can be spotted early on,' says Dr Elizabeth Rapley, scientific spokesperson for Everyman, a charity aiming to increase awareness of prostate and testicular cancer.
'If diagnosed early, testicular cancer can be cured in up to 99 per cent of cases. Even when the disease has spread cure rates exceed 85 per cent.'

Prostate cancer

Symptoms may include getting up and needing the toilet in the night or going more frequently.

Every year 37,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer and one man dies from it every hour.
For men, it's the most common cause of cancer in the UK.

What can you do?

Don't feel embarrassed about seeing a doctor.
'There are no specific prostate cancer symptoms, but many men are diagnosed after presenting urinary symptoms,' says John Robertson, a nurse at the Prostate Cancer Charity.
'They may be getting up and needing the toilet in the night, going more frequently or needing the toilet again after just having been. Less commonly they may notice blood in their urine or semen.'
The good news is prostate cancer is often a slow growing cancer.
'It can often be treated very successfully, so it's important to get to your GP – the earlier the diagnosis, the better the outcome,' adds John Robertson.
Remember there are two other common prostate problems that affect men too: an enlarged prostate and prostatitis.
For more information visit Prostate Cancer Charity.

Sexual health

Sexually transmitted infections among teenagers and young adults are reaching record levels, according to figures from the Health Protection Agency last year.
Men between the ages of 20 to 23 are most at risk, but an increase has also been reported in the over 50s in recent years.
Chlamydia is the most common STI in the UK, followed by genital warts.

What can you do?

Many STIs can be cleared up with treatments, such as antibiotics, so it's important to seek help from places, such as a GUM (genitourinary medicine) clinic.
HIV cannot be cured, but treatments are available.

Remember STIs, such as chlamydia don't always have symptoms, so you should get a screening after unsafe sex and remember to use a condom with each new partner.

Depression

According to Mind, the mental health charity, 2.7 million men in England have a mental health problem – such as depression, stress and anxiety.
'There's good evidence to suggest many men suffer from depression and stress but don’t access services as well as women,' says Dr Daniel Smith, senior lecturer in psychiatry at Cardiff University.
'They can also have unhelpful strategies for dealing with it, such as self-medicating with alcohol, which can have a further negative impact.'

What can you do?

'Most mild to moderate cases of depression can be managed using approaches, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which can help you reassess events in your life,' says Dr Smith.
'More severe cases may need a combination of a psychological approach and medication, such as Prozac.'
Look at lifestyle factors too:

• cut down on alcohol
• eat a healthy diet
• get enough sleep
• exercise
• get out in the sunlight
• socialise
• if out of work, try to find gainful employment as soon as possible.

Mid-life crisis

'A lot of men go through a period of anxiety in middle-age,' says Peter Baker.
'They find they're not able to do as much as when they were younger. They develop aches and pains and can have relationship issues.'

What can you do?

'Some people claim this is related to a drop in testosterone levels – but this is debatable,' says Peter Baker.
'The important thing is to have people you can talk to about your issues. You need to be open with friends and if necessary a health professional.